Maniac (1980): Battling 'The Vids' to Bring You the Gore #31

This week, Richard and Angeles descend into the grimy, blood-soaked streets of 1980s New York to tackle Maniac—a grindhouse classic that blends slasher terror with psychological breakdown in the most disturbing way possible.

With iconic effects from Tom Savini and one of horror’s most unsettling lead performances, we dig into what makes Maniac such a grimy cult favorite—and whether it still shocks by today’s standards.

🧠 In this episode:

• Full scene-by-scene breakdown of Maniac (1980)

• Joe Spinell’s chilling portrayal of a killer unraveling

• Tom Savini’s legendary special effects and THAT shotgun scene

• Discussion of trauma, misogyny, and mental illness in early ‘80s horror

• Viana’s Review Corner – Her take on greasy scalps, mannequins, and male fragility

• Spoof Ad: Zito's Wigs & Hairstyles

Whether you're revisiting this grindhouse shocker or braving it for the first time, this episode is a sleazy, sweaty, blood-soaked trip through one of horror’s rawest character studies.

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